Identity

If I only had a dollar (heck, even a quarter) for every time a young person wrote into Scarleteen to ask us if we think they might be [fill in a sexual orientation here], I’d be pretty freakin’ wealthy. This is in no way to make light of your question to us, more just to let you know that this is…

Some of what you’re describing is what plenty of people who identify as asexual describe. Many asexual people report that it’s not a matter for them of not having sexual feelings, but instead, a matter of lacking any motivation to pursue those feelings actively with sexual partners, and also for…

To answer your question, I find myself wanting to give a little bit of background information and talk about the language I’m going to use, just so we’re all on the same page and you can best understand where I’m coming from! Hopefully you can bear with me for a minute while we talk about that, and…

I hear you that this is a tough situation to be in, turbo! It certainly may seem like the reverse of what most people face when they are questioning their sexual orientation. However, I assure you that it is actually much more common than one might think. For all the great resources there are about…

Feeling uncomfortable or trapped by one’s own body is a really hard feeling to manage. I’m really glad that even though it was a challenge you were able to put some words to your feelings, and I hope that maybe this response can help you feel a little less isolated in those feelings. The first thing…

(Anonymous’ question continued) Especially, when I consider anal sex because, well, why would they want to do that, other than increase their own pleasure. The problem is, I actually enjoy anal, I just… these days, I hate the idea of letting anyone have it. So, basically I’m being ridiculously…

Leahcar’s question continued, This must sound so strange but I’m finally being honest with myself and need to get it out there for someone else to know about before I burst. I won’t tell anyone I know about these feelings, but they just frustrate me all the time. It makes me so depressed because I…

Our sexual orientation is about who we do feel attracted to, sexually and emotionally. It’s not about who we’re not frustrated with, who we are not attracted to, who might make do or what someone else’s orientation is. The organization Avert does a really nice job of laying out what sexual…

Menstrual suppression is becoming increasingly popular, and has been widely promoted for women. For some, especially women with reproductive health issues which are helped by suppressing periods, it’s an obvious boon, and some using it electively also report it to be a blessing. But what about the health risks? What about the attitudes informing that choice which cheerlead suppression by maligning menstruation? What about the benefits, emotional and physical, our periods can offer us? An opinionated, no-holds-barred look at the whole works and a paean to the period, no matter what a woman chooses to do with it.

The only person who needs to be convinced they are gay, bisexual, lesbian, heterosexual or any other kind of orientation is that person. We don’t need to convince others of what our orientation is or prove our orientation to anyone. That girl you know doesn’t need to convince you she’s gay, nor…